Mr. McLaurin’s Social Studies ISN (Interactive Student Notebook) Are Interactive Student Notebooks important? Do students connect with them?
As you learn new ideas in class, you will be using various types of writing and graphic techniques to record this information. Then, you will be doing something with these ideas instead of just letting the information sit in your notebook. This will allow you to use your critical-thinking skills,
your creativity, and become more independent in your education!
The Interactive Student Notebook (ISN) approach has been classroom tested in many schools around the United States.The approach helps students in their education, for it requires them to use both linguistic and visual intelligences, turns note-taking into an active process, helps students become organized as they learn, and demonstrates student growth and achievement over a period of time.
What is the Interactive Student Notebook (ISN)?
The Interactive Student Notebook is a portfolio of the student's work in this class. The majority of our classwork and homework will be done in the ISN. The ISN will be graded for at least 1 minor each six weeks, which makes a significant impact on a student's grade.
What is the purpose of the notebook?
The purpose of the notebook is to enable the students to become creative, independent thinkers and writers. Interactive notebooks will be used for class notes as well as for other activities where the students will be asked to express their own ideas and process information presented in this class.
What materials are needed? * spiral notebook: spiral bound 11 x 8.5 notebook glue stick colored pencils
Your Interactive Student Notebook must contain the following aspects:
A COVER with your basic information - your name, the course name, your class period, and Mr. McLaurin's name
A AUTHOR PAGE should include a photograph and personal information such as age, height, favorite foods,
and family members.
A UNIT TITLE PAGE with the title of the unit and a colorful drawing or illustration representing the theme of the unit.
Be creative! Some former students actually made moving title pages - very ingenious, don't you think?
A TABLE OF CONTENTS identifying the material contained in the notebook in chronological order and the page
number in your notebook
All assigned MATERIALS, including class notes, homework assignments, and handouts, with the pages numbered
each material must have your name and the date
COLOR used in an appropriate and educational manner
ISN COVER EXAMPLE
How should the notebook be organized?
The notebook should be organized into a Left Side and a Right Side.
What goes on the right side of the notebook?
The right side of the notebook is for class and reading notes. As you take notes, structure them so that key ideas are clear and supported by examples from either class instructor, discussions, or reading assignments.
What goes on the side of the notebook?
Student created left side activities are what make the notebook "interactive." The purpose of a left side activity in the Interactive Notebook is to encourage students to revisit content recorded on each right side activity or notes. If completed systematically, the Notebook left sides will cause students to study and review material in a much more effective manner. Students have free range to design each left side as they choose. Each right side page must have an accompanying left side application activity.
Notebooks will be organized in this way:
The left side of the notebook
• Stresses that writing down lecture notes does not mean
students have learned the information. They must
actively do something with the information before the
internalize it.
• Clearly indicates which ideas are the teacher’s and
which are the student’s. Everything on the left side is
are student ideas and belong to the student.
• Gives students permission to be playful and
experimental since they know the left side is their page
and they will not be interfering with class notes.
• Allows students to use various learning styles to
process social studies information.
The right side of the notebook - Teacher Information: Notes, Readings, and Handouts
• Is where the teacher organizes a
common set of information that all
students must know.
• Gives students the “essentials” of
the social studies content.
• Provides the teacher with an
opportunity to model for students
how to think graphically. There are
many visual ways to organize
historical information that enhance
understanding.
Examples of processing for the LEFT SIDE
Word Play
Key Terms
Mosaic
GRAPHIC NOVEL
What goes on the left side of the notebook?
The left side of the notebook will be used for a variety of different activities. This side should be the place where all of the student's creative and artistic inklings come forth. Left side activities will ask you to demonstrate your understanding of new ideas.
How can you earn an "A" on your notebook?
Students who expect to earn an "A" or higher grade on the notebook will have to take time to consistently include extra work. "Time Out" activities are unassigned notebook entries which are completed in addition to regular class notebook assignments.
What is a "Time Out" activity?
Helpful websites for "Time Out" activities: http://it.pinellas.k12.fl.us/Teachers4/godcharlest/resources.html
A "Time Out" activity is one in which students paste related magazine, newspaper, or internet articles, pictures, or cartoons into their notebooks along with a three or four sentence summary of the material being added. A "Time Out" activity might also be original drawings. Whatever they paste or draw into their notebooks should relate to the discussions, readings, and activities completed for the class. "Time Out" activities can be included on either the Left or Right side of the notebook, wherever there is extra space. Sometimes individual pages will also be set aside for "Time Outs." Use "Time Outs" to sharpen the visual appearance of your notebook not to clutter it.
RUBRIC 20 Points- Cover Page, Author Page, Current Table of Contents, Upcoming events on calender and numbered pages 20 Points- Preview Activities & “Time Out” activities (Newspaper cutouts, drawings, graphics, or unassigned projects) 20 Points- Process Activities: All process activities go below the preview question on the left sided pages 20 Points- Class Info and Notes: All class notes and right-side work are completed and of high quality, even for days when you are absent 20 Points- Interactions (Example: parent signature/response to writing in your ISN)
(Interactive Student Notebook)
Are Interactive Student Notebooks important?
Do students connect with them?
record this information. Then, you will be doing something with these ideas instead of just letting the
information sit in your notebook. This will allow you to use your critical-thinking skills,
your creativity, and become more independent in your education!
The Interactive Student Notebook is a portfolio of the student's work in this class. The majority of our classwork and homework will be done in the ISN. The ISN will be graded for at least 1 minor each six weeks, which makes a significant impact on a student's grade.
What is the purpose of the notebook?
The purpose of the notebook is to enable the students to become creative, independent thinkers and writers. Interactive notebooks will be used for class notes as well as for other activities where the students will be asked to express their own ideas and process information presented in this class.
What materials are needed?
* spiral notebook: spiral bound 11 x 8.5 notebook
glue stick
colored pencils
Your Interactive Student Notebook must contain the following aspects:
A AUTHOR PAGE should include a photograph and personal information such as age, height, favorite foods,
and family members.
Be creative! Some former students actually made moving title pages - very ingenious, don't you think?
number in your notebook
each material must have your name and the date
How should the notebook be organized?
The notebook should be organized into a Left Side and a Right Side.
What goes on the right side of the notebook?
The right side of the notebook is for class and reading notes. As you take notes, structure them so that key ideas are clear and supported by examples from either class instructor, discussions, or reading assignments.
What goes on the side of the notebook?
Student created left side activities are what make the notebook "interactive." The purpose of a left side activity in the Interactive Notebook is to encourage students to revisit content recorded on each right side activity or notes. If completed systematically, the Notebook left sides will cause students to study and review material in a much more effective manner. Students have free range to design each left side as they choose. Each right side page must have an accompanying left side application activity.
Notebooks will be organized in this way:
The left side of the notebook
• Stresses that writing down lecture notes does not mean
students have learned the information. They must
actively do something with the information before the
internalize it.
• Clearly indicates which ideas are the teacher’s and
which are the student’s. Everything on the left side is
are student ideas and belong to the student.
• Gives students permission to be playful and
experimental since they know the left side is their page
and they will not be interfering with class notes.
• Allows students to use various learning styles to
process social studies information.
The right side of the notebook - Teacher Information: Notes, Readings, and Handouts
• Is where the teacher organizes a
common set of information that all
students must know.
• Gives students the “essentials” of
the social studies content.
• Provides the teacher with an
opportunity to model for students
how to think graphically. There are
many visual ways to organize
historical information that enhance
understanding.
Examples of processing for the LEFT SIDE
Word Play
Key Terms
Mosaic
GRAPHIC NOVEL
What goes on the left side of the notebook?
The left side of the notebook will be used for a variety of different activities. This side should be the place where all of the student's creative and artistic inklings come forth. Left side activities will ask you to demonstrate your understanding of new ideas.
How can you earn an "A" on your notebook?
Students who expect to earn an "A" or higher grade on the notebook will have to take time to consistently include extra work. "Time Out" activities are unassigned notebook entries which are completed in addition to regular class notebook assignments.
What is a "Time Out" activity?
Helpful websites for "Time Out" activities: http://it.pinellas.k12.fl.us/Teachers4/godcharlest/resources.html
A "Time Out" activity is one in which students paste related magazine, newspaper, or internet articles, pictures, or cartoons into their notebooks along with a three or four sentence summary of the material being added. A "Time Out" activity might also be original drawings. Whatever they paste or draw into their notebooks should relate to the discussions, readings, and activities completed for the class. "Time Out" activities can be included on either the Left or Right side of the notebook, wherever there is extra space. Sometimes individual pages will also be set aside for "Time Outs." Use "Time Outs" to sharpen the visual appearance of your notebook not to clutter it.
RUBRIC
20 Points- Cover Page, Author Page, Current Table of Contents, Upcoming events on calender and numbered pages
20 Points- Preview Activities & “Time Out” activities (Newspaper cutouts, drawings, graphics, or unassigned projects)
20 Points- Process Activities: All process activities go below the preview question on the left sided pages
20 Points- Class Info and Notes: All class notes and right-side work are completed and of high quality, even for days when you are absent
20 Points- Interactions (Example: parent signature/response to writing in your ISN)